SADISTIC AND MASOCHISTIC BEHAVIORS IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS

According to Sue, Sue and Sue (1994), the traditional psychoanalytic and psychological perspective of sadism defines it as a discrete sexual disorder in which erotic or sexual gratification is obtained from inflicting pain or punishment. Similarly, masochism is defined as a discrete disorder in which erotic or sexual gratification is obtained by receiving pain or punishment (Sue, Sue & Sue, 1994).

However, as Sue, Sue and Sue (1994) also point out, current thinking on sadomasochism (S-M) tends to view the behaviors as arising from urges and impulses associated with giving and receiving pain that exist along a continuum with the full-blow disorders occupying only one end of the continuum. Thus, in any given intimate relationship, there can be behaviors that are associated with less severe or intense sadomasochistic impulses or urges.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the literature addressing some of the less severe S-M urges that take place in intimate relationships. The literature on sociodemographic differences in sadomasochistic tendencies in intimate relationships is also examined. The presented literature focuses on answering the following questions:

1. What types of behaviors in intimate relationships have been associated with sadomasochistic tendencies, urges or impulses?

2. What etiological frameworks have been offered to explain behaviors in intimate relationships said t

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l) mother-child relationship. Positive movement (i.e., success) on the child's part threatens the balance of this relationship, is perceived by the child as a hostile and destructive triumph over the mother, and causes the Negative Therapeutic Reaction in therapy. The child's inherent masochism acts to preserve the early infantile omnipotence and leads to his/her assumption of all responsibility for the mother's affective states. The child's self- destructiveness also functions as a release for unconscious aggression toward the mother, due to the lack of boundary differentiation between the two. (p. 259) Resistance to the use of contraception in intimate adolescent relationships has been connected to sadomasochistic tendencies. This claim was made by Anselmier (1977) based on 12 years of experiences as administrative director of information and reception of the family planning consultation at the obstetrical and gynecological service of the University Hospital in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Regarding sadomasochistic tendencies, Anselmier (1977) feels that while the failure to use contraception is an outcome associated with buried sadomasochistic tendencies, the behavior is also associated with immature affect developm
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Goldberg Salvadori, Behavioral Manifestations, Assessment Scale, Sue Sue, Transition Project, Switzerland Regarding, Lane Goeltz, Sociodemographic Differences, Therapeutic Reaction, Journal Psychoanalysis, intimate relationships, sadomasochistic tendencies, sadomasochistic urges, behaviors intimate, behaviors intimate relationships, personality disorder, sue sue, urges impulses, urges tendencies, sadistic personality, bonime 1995, sadistic personality disorder, sadomasochistic urges tendencies, women transition project, sue sue 1994,
Approximate Word count = 3200
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page)